Box-sealing machine



E. CRAIG.

BOX SEALING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27. 1918. RENEWED JULY 31,1922.

1 A332 V Pafented Nov 28, 1922.,

2 SHEETSSHEET I- E. CRAIG. BOX SEALING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, I918. RENE 1,437,228.

WED JULY 31,1922.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

c iri V Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

FFICE.

no x-snanme Macrame.

' Application filed February 27, 191a, serieruo. 219,410. Renewed July a1, 1922. Serial No. 578,850.

To all it may concern: a Beit known that I, EDWARD CRAIG, a citizen.of the United States of America, and resident of-St. Joseph, county of Berrien, and

State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Box-Sealing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stapling machines in general, but more particularly to those of the old and'well knowntype in which an arm projects outwardly to support the Work, the end of the arm being "providedwith a clinch-block or anvil directly below the stapler, whereby various kinds of work can be fastened together by resting the materials on-the arm below the stapler, said arm being ofany suitable or desired size or proportions, depending, of course, upon the character of the work. I

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved stapling machine of the foregoing general character, having improved means for supporting the work in position to receive the stagiles;

' pecial objects are to provide an improved arrangement and construction of the worksupporting arm below the stapler; to provide novel and improved means for supporting the work. below said arm; to provide 'an improved construction, and arrangement whereby the machine can be employed the invention consists in matters hereinafter for sealingthe bottom of a carton or box, preparatory to filling the same, as well as for'sealing the top'after the box is filled.

; It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction and combinations tending to increase the-general efficiency and .deslrability of a box-sealingstapler of this particular; character.

To e foregoing and other useful ends,

set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Flgure 1 is a side elevation-of a staplingmachine embodying the principles of the .in--

vention.

Figure 2 is a erspective of a box or carton after the top t ereof is sealed, showing the work-supporting arm just after it has been withdrawn from the top of the box. I

Figure 3 illustrates a stepinthe'operation I of sealing the bottom of the box.

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 4-4 1n Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section "being disposed at the outer end of this arm 'and operated by a belt on the pulley 5 at the backof the machine; The work-supporting arm. 6 is of any suitable material, such as steel, and is pivoted at 7 to swing up and down about a horizontal axis, this pivot being located on the standard .1 a

short distance below the arm 3, so that the arm extends outward immediately below the.

stapler. The outer end of the arm- 6 is preferably provided with a clinch-block or anvil 8, of any suitable character, for

clinching the staples in the usual and well known manner. A rod 9 has its upper end pivoted at 10 on the bottom of the arm 3,

and extends downward through a slot 11 in p the arm 6, being provided with a shoulder 12 which rests upon the top of said arm. The lower portion of this-arm 9 is threaded and provided with athumb-nut13, and .a spring 14 is interposed between this thumbnut and the bottom of this arm 6 where by the latter is yieldingly supported. v The thumb-nut 13 is, adjusteduntil the spring 14 is compressed to the desired degree or extent, so that the arm 6 is held against the bottom ofthe shoulder 12, and in this position the arm 6 is just the right distance from the stapler for materials of minimum thickness, but thicker materials can be used, of

coursefinasmuch as the extra or additional .-"'thickness is compensated for by the yielding action of the spring14, the greater thickness causing the outer end of the arm. 6 to be' slightly 'depressed when the staples are driven. hus the arm 6 is preferably rigid or non-flexible, but is pivoted at 7 to swing downward, and is yieldingly supported by the spring 14, so that the arm is not rigldly supported, nor is it necessarily of. flexible mate ia as t P ota mounting allows-the arm when constructed ofrigid materiahto accommodate itself to various thicknesses of work.

' A'table is disposed below the arm 6, this table 15 being provided with apertures for the-balls 16, which latter extend a slight distance above the top of the table, so that the bottom of the box, when supported on the table 15, will slide around readily, thereby permitting easy and complete manipula- "tion of the box during the operation of the extending arm 22 which is swingingly mounted on a slide of traveler 23 arranged to slide up and down on the guideway 24 of the standard 1,v whereby the arm 22 can be raised and lowered. The axis 21 of the segmental pinion 20 can be operated by a removable handle 25, to raise and lower the rack 19, thereby to raise and lower the table 15 for boxes of different sizes. A bellcrank-lever 26 is pivoted at 27 on the bottom of the table 15, and has its vertically dis-' posed lower portion 28 provided with a plurality of adjustable dogs 29 adapted to engage the transverse pin 30 on the outer end of the arm 22, whereby thetable 15 can be .raised or lowered by the rack and pinion mechanism and one of the dogs 29 can then be adjusted into position to properly engage the'pin 30 and thus hold the table at. the desired height. The handle 31 of the bellcrank-l'ever 26 can be raised to disengage the dog 29 from the pin 30, and by providing a plurality of dogs, set at different positions, for boxes of different heights, the table can be quickly adjusted up or down and held in the desired position. In this way, th'ere-' fore, quick adjustment is afforded for different sizes of boxes, in a manner that will be readily understood.

As previously stated, the arm 22 is swingingly mounted on thes lide or traveler 23, and this is. preferably accomplished by providing a vertically disposed screw 32 having its upper and lower ends mounted in brackets 33'on the standard 1, whereby this screw is held vertically. It will be seen that this screw 32 is disposed at one side of the slide or traveler 23, and forms the pivot about which the arm 22 swings in a horizontal plane. .At its other side, this arm is .provided with an interlocking connection 34, so that this side of the arm will interlock with the slide'or traveler 23, and a removable pin 35 is inserted into said oonnection 34 thereby to lock the arm 22 against lateral swinging movement. When the pin 35 is pulled upwardly out of the connection 34, the latter will then separate and allow the arm 22 to swing arourfd until the table 15 is out of theway. To raise and lower the slide 23 on the screw 32, the latter is preferably provided with a screw- .threaded bevel-gear 36 which engages the bevel-pinion 37 on the obliquely arranged shaft 38, which latter is supported for rotation in the bearing 39 on the arm 22, being provided at its outer end with a crankhandle 40 for the operation thereof. WVith this arrangement, and by grasping the bandle 40 and rotating the shaft 38, the bevelpinion 37 will be rotated, and this will rotate the bevel 36 on the screw 32, and the latter will'move the arm 22 up or down, de-

pending upon the direction in-which the crank-handle 40 is operated. This screw 32 can be rigidly held at its upper and lower ends in the brackets 33, and the bevel-gear 36 can be threaded to operate like a nut on the screw 32, thereby to raise and lower the arm 22 when the crank-handle is operated, in the manner stated. The screw 32 serves as the means by which to raise and lower .the table 15 to obtain accurate adjustment,

and serves also as the vertical pivot about which the arm 22 and the table 15 may swing laterally.

A machine of this klnd can be used, of course, for various purposes. For example,

the box or carton shown in Figures 2 and 3 can be sealed at its top, after being filled, in the following manner :First, the filled box can be placed on the table 15 below the arm 6, and two arms or flaps can be folded upon each other, and upon the arm 6, and then stapled together. Then the box is, removed and turned around and the operation repeated with the other flaps of the top, thus sealing the top of the box.

Furthermore, when the table 15 is swung out of the way, a standard 41, having a clinch-block 42 at its-upper end, can be mounted on a 'pivot43 at its lower end, on the base 2, directly below the stapler, and held in position in any suitable or desiredmanner, whereby the bottom flaps of the box can be stapled together before the box is filled. This is done by tilting the standard 41 outward, and slipping the box up side down over the upper end thereof, and by then allowing the standard 41 to tilt back into position under the pull of the spring 44, until the adjustable stop 45 holds on the arm or tablet, but when stapled to.- gether' on the head .or clinch-block 4:2, in

' the manner described, all four flaps of the bottom "will be stapled together, the second row of staples extending through all theflaps. However, the boxes can all be passed through the machine, to close the bottoms I thereof, on the clinch-block 42, and then the boxes can all be filled; Then the standard 41 can be removed, and the table= can be swung back into. place below the stapler, andin addition the arm 6 canv be' swung ,upward into position, it being understood that when the standard 41 and the clinch 'block 42 are used this arm '6 is released, by removing the thumb-nut 13 and allowing'itto tilt downward out of the way; but, after the boxes are filled, and'when it is desired to seal the tops thereof, the arm 6 can then -be swung upward and the springi andthev thumb-nut 13' restored .to their operative positions, thereby to yieldingly support this arm or table'irr position to support the top flaps of the box below the stapler.

ing the work below the stapler, The boxes It will be seen, therefore, that the invention does not relate to the stapler, but resides in the means and devices for supportv shown in Figures 2 and3 can be made, of

paste-board, or paper," or fiber-board through which the staplesareea sily driven. It is obvious, however, that other boxes,

-made of wood or veneer,- can be; fastened together, either partially or entirely, on-the machineshown and described, and the size and proportions of the machine, and the. length and breadth and thickness of the arm 6, will, of course; depend largely upon the kind of boxes andmaterials and the character of the or sealed.

It will be seen that the bevel. gearing 36 and 37 forms a slow-acting means for. raising and lowering the work table, while the rack and pinion 19 and 20 form a quick-acting means for raising and lowering the work 7 table or work support, whereby proper up 1 and down adjustment ,of the table can. al-

ways be obtained'in a satisfactory manner.

The elements 29 are formed like ratchet teeth, it will be seen, to slide upward-1y over stop 30, but they are adapted to catch on; v i this stop and prevent the table. from moving downward. The work supporting means thusprovided are suited to varying COHdltions and serveto adapt the machine for use in sealing boxes of varlous shapes sizes. i T

What I claim as my 'inventionis 1.- In a stapling machine, the combination of an overhanging stapler, a'work:sup-

porting table in the form of an arm p1v oted' to swing up and down and extending "outward-below said stapler, with a clear space below said arm, and stationaryfmeans workto lie stapled together ,having a spring thereon to yieldingly sup-'- port said arm' in normal position below said stapler, so that the pressure of the stapler on thick material will press the arm downward.

, 25A structure as specified in claim 1, in

which said means comprises .a transverse pivot, for said arm, a depending support extending downward through said arm, a spring on said support to engage the bottom of the arm, a stop, on said support to limit the upward movement of the arm; and

means to regulate the tension of said spring.

3. In a stapling machine, the combina-' tion of an overhanging stapler, a' worksupporting table below said stapler, a supporting arm below said table, a rack and p1lll01'l toraise andvlower the table on said arm, a catch serving: as a locking device operatingindependently of said rack and pinion to hold the table in adjusted position after the operation of said rack and pinion,

and means to manually control said clutch 'at'will.

structure as specified in c-laim 3, in which said locking device comprises a bellcrank-lever pivoted underneath said table and. provided with one or more adjustable dogs, and means on the end of said arm to engage said dog or'dogs.

combination with screw mechanism to raiseand lower said arm.

6. A structure as specified in claim 3,'in combination withmeans to allow said arm swing out of the way when it is desired to swing laterally to permit said-table 'to,

to use another form of support below the staplen, v

7. v Ina stapling-machine, the combination of an overhanging stapler, a work-support. ing table below the stapler, an arm to sup-v port said table, and screw mechanism to.

upport said arm for adjustment p and i I down, said mechanism including a verticallydisposed screw held against rotation and having a bevel-gear thereon, said bevel gear being threaded to operate like a-nut on saidscrew, a horizontally dis osed shaft onsa1d'arm,abevel pinion on said shaft to engage said bevel-gear on the screw, and a crank-handle to operate said shaft.

8. A structure as specified in claim/7, in,

combination with means to permit, said arm i to swin laterally about said screw as a vertical plvot, and means to lbck said arm agalnst lateral swinging movement.

9. A structure as specified in claim- 7, in combination with means to. raise and lower- 95 5. A structure as specified in claim 3,. in

in combination with hold the arm in any &

said table up and down on the end of said 12. A structure as specified in claim 10, in combination with work-supporting means to be placed in position below the stapler I when said table is swung to one side.

13. In a stapling machine, the combination of an overhanging stapler, a work-sup porting table. below the stapler, an arm to support said table, and screw mechanism to support said arm for adjustmentup and down, said mechanism including a vertically disposed screw having a bevel-gear thereon, a horizontally disposed .shaft on said arm, a bevel pinion on said shaft to engage said bevel-gear on the screw, and a crank-handle to operate saidv shaft, together with means whereby said ar'm swings laterally about said screw as a vertical pivot, and means to lock said arm against lateral swinging movement.

14. In a stapling machine, the combination of an overhanging stapler, a worksupporting table below the stapler, an arm to support said table,-and screw mechanism to support said arm for adjusting up and down, said mechanism including -a vertically disposed screw havinga bevel-gear thereon, a horizontally disposed shaft on said arm, a bevel pinion on said shaft to engage said bevel-gear on the screw an'd a crank-handle to operate said shaft, in combination with means to raise and lower-the table on the outer end of-said arm, and tohold the table in adjusted position thereon.

15. In a stapling machine, the combinai tion of a work. support, quick acting means operative at will for raising and lowering said support, and slow-acting means operative at will for raisingand loweringsaid quick-acting means, and said work support, said quick-acting means comprising a rack andpin'iom and said slow-acting means comprising a vertically disposed screw forming a support for saidrack and pinion.

16. In a stapling machine, the combination of a work. support, quick-acting means operative at'will for raisingand lowering said support, and slow-acting means operative at will about a vertical axis for raising and lowering said quick-acting means and said work support, said quick-acting means being supported bysaid slow-acting means for horizontal swinging movement about said axis.

17. In a stapling machine, the combination of a work support, quick-acting means in combination with adjustable means cooperating with said quick-acting ineans to determine the position of said support.

18. Ina machine of the class described, the combination of a vertically adjustable work support, a pivoted member depending from said support, a plurality of elements on said member, means whereby said elements are adjustable up and down and toward and away from each other on said member, and a stop for engaging any one of said elements to support the work holder in its raised or lowered position.

19. A structure as specified in claim 18, in combination with a rack and pinion for quickly raising the work support, and permitting the support to fall by .gravity when the element in use is disengaged from said s stop.

20. A structure as specified in claim 18, inWhich said elements are formed to slide upwardly like ratchet teeth over said stop, and are adapted to engage said stop to prevent downward displacement of the work support.

21. In a machine of the class described, the combination ofa vertically disposed screw, means for supporting said screw in fixed position, so that the screw is held against endwise and rotary movement, a bevel gear having screw threaded engagement withsaid screw, a work support sus tained in raised position by said bevel gear, and a pinion for rotating said bevel gear to raise and lower the work support.

out disturbing said bevel gearing.

24. In a stapling machine for sealing filled boxesprovided with sealing flaps, the combination of a thin arm for insertion under thev flaps to provide an anvil for the clinching of the staples, and devices for permitting said arm to move downward without flexing under-the pressure of the stapler. ,25. A structure as specified in claim 24, in which said devices include a springto yieldingly hold the arm in position against the pressure .of-the stapler, the .arm being mounted to tiltdownward at its outer end against the tension ofsaid spring, thereby to allow for flaps of different thicknesses.

26 A structure as specified in claim 24, in which said devices comprise a pivotal support for the arm, a spring to support the pivdt,and means for adjusting the tension v of said spring.

27. In a stapling machine for sealing filled boxes having sealing flaps, a 'thin arm for insertion under the flaps to provide an anvil ,for clinching? the staples, a pivot (7 for supporting said arm, a rod (9) sup-;

ported at its upperend by a pivot (10) and extending through a slot (11) in the arm, having a stop (12) to limit the upward movement of the arm, a spring (14) on said rod to yieldingly support said am against downward movement, and a nut (13) on the lower end portion of said rodto regulate the tension of said spring.

'28. In a box sealing machine, the combination of a iiattened non-flexible member for insertion under the flaps of the box, after the flaps are folded upon the top of the box,

3 'so that said member may be inse%ed between the contents and the flaps a er the box is filled, means to' support said member with a clear space portion, and a stapler disposed .over said member to insert staples thrdugh the flaps;

below its outer end said member having means for clinching the staples, having spring means whereby said flattened member, although non-flexible, may yield and move downward under the pressure :ofthe stapler.

Signed by me at St. Joseph, Michigan, this 20th day of Fe ruary, 1 918.

v EDWARD CRAIG. 

